TJX vs KSS

For growth investors, The TJX Companies, Inc.

(TJX) is the stronger pick with 7. 1% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -4. 3% for Kohl's Corporation (KSS). Kohl's Corporation (KSS) offers the better valuation at 6. 1x trailing P/E (10. 3x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate The TJX Companies, Inc. (TJX) a "Buy" — based on 53 analyst ratings — the highest consensus in this comparison. The "better buy" depends entirely on your goals: growth investors should weight revenue trajectory, value investors should weight P/E and PEG, and income investors should weight dividend yield and streak.

On trailing P/E, Kohl's Corporation (KSS) is the cheapest at 6.

1x versus The TJX Companies, Inc. at 31. 9x. On forward P/E, Kohl's Corporation is actually cheaper at 10. 3x.

Over the past 5 years, The TJX Companies, Inc.

(TJX) delivered a total return of +126. 0%, compared to -63. 9% for Kohl's Corporation (KSS). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: TJX returned +331. 5% versus KSS's -23. 7%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.

By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), The TJX Companies, Inc.

(TJX) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 39β versus Kohl's Corporation's 2. 32β — meaning KSS is approximately 488% more volatile than TJX relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Kohl's Corporation (KSS) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 61% versus 2% for The TJX Companies, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), The TJX Companies, Inc.

(TJX) is pulling ahead at 7. 1% versus -4. 3% for Kohl's Corporation (KSS). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Kohl's Corporation grew EPS 144. 3% year-over-year, compared to 14. 6% for The TJX Companies, Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, TJX leads at 6. 5% annualised revenue growth. Higher growth typically commands a higher valuation multiple — check whether the premium P/E or P/S is justified by the growth rate using the PEG ratio.

The TJX Companies, Inc.

(TJX) is the more profitable company, earning 9. 1% net margin versus 1. 8% for Kohl's Corporation — meaning it keeps 9. 1% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: TJX leads at 11. 9% versus 3. 3% for KSS. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — KSS leads at 36. 1%, reflecting greater pricing power or product mix advantage. Stronger margins indicate durable pricing power, lower cost of revenue, or higher mix of software/services. They are one of the clearest signs of business quality.

On forward earnings alone, Kohl's Corporation (KSS) trades at 10.

3x forward P/E versus 33. 2x for The TJX Companies, Inc. — 22. 9x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for KSS: 24. 9% to $18. 00.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Kohl's Corporation (KSS) offers the highest yield at 3. 4%, versus 1. 1% for The TJX Companies, Inc. (TJX).

For long-horizon retirement investors, The TJX Companies, Inc.

(TJX) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 39), 1. 1% yield, +331. 5% 10Y return). Kohl's Corporation (KSS) carries a higher beta of 2. 32 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (TJX: +331. 5%, KSS: -23. 7%), confirming both are viable long-term holds — but the lower-volatility option typically results in less emotional selling during corrections. Retirement portfolios generally favour predictability over maximum returns. Consult a financial advisor before making allocation decisions.

Both stocks operate in the Consumer Cyclical sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both.

In terms of investment character: TJX is a mid-cap quality compounder stock; KSS is a small-cap deep-value stock. These fundamental differences mean investors should not choose between them on a single metric — the "better stock" depends entirely on which of these characteristics aligns with your investment strategy.